by Stuart Hill
“The Kingdom of the Snow Leopards,” called Grinelda, and the sleighs shot forward at even greater speed as they headed toward the mountains.
19
The Wolffolk had stopped and were staring at something in the distance. Both Thirrin and Oskan stood up in the sleigh and tried to make out exactly what was approaching. At first they could see nothing, and when they called to Grinelda she waved them to silence without taking her eyes off the horizon.
Then, after a few minutes, all the werewolves stepped out of the traces and formed a tight protective ring around their human charges. Oskan gasped and seized Thirrin’s hand. “There!” he said, pointing. “A leopard, an enormous leopard!”
She followed his pointing finger, screwed her eyes against the distance, and at last saw it. It was closer than she thought. Its mainly white, black-spotted coat camouflaged it perfectly against the background of snow, ice, and shadow. And Oskan hadn’t exaggerated, it was enormous: about the size of a warhorse at the shoulder, and its massive head was lit by eyes of vivid amber.
As it walked unhurriedly over the snow toward them, Thirrin noticed that its paws were huge and soft-looking, and despite its obvious weight they carried the animal over the loosest snow without once sinking through. But it was its mouth that held her attention: As the leopard approached, it raised its head and drew back its lips in an action that was so like Primplepuss that Thirrin knew it was scenting them. The movement revealed a row of teeth that made her shiver. They seemed whiter than the surrounding snow, the smallest of them were longer than her fingers, and the fangs looked as lethal as ivory cavalry sabers.
Thirrin squeezed Oskan’s hand once for comfort, then she released it and raised her head proudly as she donned her full queenly persona.
The creature stopped about ten feet away from the nearest werewolf and sat down. After a moment of gazing at them, it licked a paw and yawned enormously, displaying its impressive teeth, and then to the amazement of the human members of the party, it spoke.
“Who are you that trespass on the lands of Tharaman, the Thar of the Snow Leopards?”
Even though both Thirrin and Oskan had been told that the leopards could talk, they had expected them to sound like the werewolves, uttering the gruntings and growlings of an animal in a way that somehow resembled speech. But this creature sounded completely human, even refined, and a little bored.
“You know well that we are Wolffolk of the Ukpik tribe,” the leader of the white werewolves replied. “And we bring with us Queen Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-Arm Lindenshield, Wildcat of the North and Monarch of the Land of the Icemark. With her is her adviser Oskan the Warlock. They are humans who seek audience with Tharaman-Thar of the Snow Leopards.”
The creature immediately stopped licking its paw and looked up. “Humans! Here? Let me see these beings of legend.”
Thirrin immediately jumped down from the sleigh and advanced toward the leopard, while Oskan scrambled behind her and tried not to look afraid.
The giant cat stared at them for a long moment, then said, “Are these puny things human beings? Well, how disappointing. I really can’t believe that these small objects were blessed with the same tongue as the Leopard People. Tell them to go back where they came from.”
Thirrin was so furious she forgot to be afraid and, drawing her sword, she advanced on the leopard. “Small or not, Master Pussycat, I will not go back, unless, of course, I take your head as a trophy for my wall!”
The creature laid back its ears in amazement. “They do speak our language, and with clear diction, too!”
By this time Thirrin was standing squarely beneath the leopard’s chin, and she placed her sword against its broad throat. “I’d say you speak our language, pussycat, and quite well for an animal. But if you wish words and not blood to come gushing out of your mouth, I suggest you show a lot more respect!”
The giant leopard looked down at her and, nonchalantly raising a paw, it flexed a set of long and glittering claws. “I’d say the human being is a little underarmed and undersized to threaten me effectively. Still, I must admit it’s brave — almost a pity to kill it.”
“Oh yes, you could kill me,” said Thirrin in a voice that hissed with rage. “But I can assure you, you’d die of your wounds before you could gloat!” And with sudden lightning speed, her sword flickered and both sets of the Snow Leopard’s whiskers and the tip of his beard lay in the snow.
The giant cat let out a roar that almost flattened Thirrin, and reared up on its haunches so that it towered into the sky like a vast monolith of living ice. Both its forepaws were now glittering with enormous claws, and its open jaw was like a cave festooned with white and jagged stalactites. She waited for the beast to strike but instead it stepped back and looked at its whiskers. “Oh dear. What will the others say?” The leopard glanced at Thirrin. “Do I look too ridiculous?” Then it did something that almost made her drop her sword. The cat laughed, and the sound was so human and joyous she almost joined in.
The massive tension that had built up evaporated, and Oskan breathed a sigh of relief. Somehow, despite Thirrin and her temper, they’d survived their first meeting with a Snow Leopard.
“Madam, my name is Taradan, second in command of the armies of Tharaman-Thar of the Snow Leopards. We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot. My fault entirely for underestimating the spirit of human beings. May we begin again?”
“We may,” Thirrin agreed.
“I am forever grateful, My Lady. Then, first, as the herald of the Thar of the Leopard People, might I ask why you have come to our lands?”
“I seek an audience with Tharaman-Thar, where my business will be stated clearly for all to hear.”
“I see … then you’re not the vanguard of an invading army?”
Thirrin laughed shortly. “No. I’ve come to offer friendship and alliance with the Leopard People. Any more than that I will not say until I am in the presence of the Thar.”
“Very well. I’ve asked the questions that tradition decrees, and since you’re obviously not part of an invading army, I’ll escort you to the royal palace of Lord Tharaman, One Hundredth Thar of the Leopard People,” he said. Walking a little way off into the snows, he then raised his head and let out a series of short coughing barks that echoed over the sky.
After a few moments, Thirrin thought she heard a distant reply, followed by two others from different directions. When all had fallen silent again, the Snow Leopard turned to them and said, “Climb back into your sleigh, Thirrin-Thar, and have your Wolffolk follow me. We still have a long journey ahead of us.”
The werewolves picked up the traces of the sleighs again, and Thirrin and Oskan settled back under the furs. Soon they were hurtling over the snows, following the giant leopard as he ran ahead with the grace and beauty of muscled water.
A few hours later they approached the lower slopes of the mountains that stood at the Hub of the World. The high peaks and slopes were uniformly covered in snow, and under the light of the stars and a three-quarter moon, they gleamed and shimmered like chiseled light.
“It’s beautiful,” Oskan stated matter-of-factly, as though announcing the day of the week. “Beautiful and terrible. Rather like our friend the leopard.”
“Yes,” Thirrin agreed. “He could almost be made from the same material as the mountain.”
Oskan looked ahead to where Taradan galloped over the snows. “Yes, it’s hard to believe warm blood courses through that beautiful body. I’d expect quicksilver or maybe ichor, the blood of the gods.”
“Do you think we’re going to die, Oskan?” Thirrin suddenly asked in completely calm tones.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Perhaps. But Taradan seems friendly enough … for now.”
“True, but I have a feeling that it’s all surface, and if you scratched below the outer layer, you’d find an incredible savagery.”
“I’m sure you would; they’re wild animals, after all. Just because they sound like Maggiore Totus
doesn’t mean they have his attitude toward life. If in the end they decide they don’t like us, you can be certain we’ll just be another snack for whichever leopard gets to us first.”
“Yes, I suppose so. Still, we had to try, didn’t we?”
“We had to try,” Oskan agreed.
A short time later Thirrin and Oskan sensed they were at last nearing the end of their journey, a wide valley opened up before them, and their pace began to slow. The cliffs that bordered each side of the valley loomed slowly closer as the road narrowed. The scattered boulders gathered around the towering walls as though their stony faces were frozen waterfalls and the rocks were the glacial spray that had flown up in some unimaginable past. It was then that Thirrin noticed figures sitting or lying on top of the rocks. Snow Leopards! Each one was at least as big as a warhorse, but their coats blended so perfectly with the background that she’d only noticed them as their sleighs passed directly beneath them.
“Oskan. Look!”
He followed her pointing finger and gasped. “There are dozens of them!”
“Dozens that we can see. There are probably hundreds or even thousands more watching us at this very minute.”
The werewolves thundered on, following Taradan closely as he approached a sheer rock wall at the end of the valley. Thirrin could now see that a broad platform like a terrace lay at the foot of this towering cliff, and at its very center stood a large boulder draped in crystalline splendor, with huge icicles that glittered and shone in the starlight like carved diamonds. But this spectacle paled into insignificance as she realized that the entire platform was packed with hundreds and hundreds of Snow Leopards.
“Oskan, they’re everywhere!”
“I know, I can see them,” he answered in a very small voice.
They stared wonderingly at the giant cats sitting in ordered ranks around the central boulder that rose ten feet or so above them. But then Thirrin realized that something else sat at the very top of the rock. It was the largest leopard they’d seen so far. Its fur was brilliantly white and marked with spots, rosettes, and small stripes that were so black, it seemed the night sky had dripped its darkness onto the fine fur. But as their sleigh drew closer it was the magnificent head that held their gaze. The eyes were red-amber like the deeply glowing coals of a fire, and the whiskers were like fine spindles of ivory. And then, when the animal yawned, the deep red of its mouth was the perfect setting for the array of teeth that gleamed and glistened as though polished.
Taradan stopped, as did the sleighs following him. He walked slowly back to Thirrin and Oskan. “Welcome to the court of Lord Tharaman-Thar. As you can see, you are expected, and the Thar himself will listen to your request.”
“Will you present us?” Thirrin asked.
“That will be my honor,” he said. Then, lowering his head as though bowing, he whispered, “Show him the fire you showed me. Hide your fear and be as haughty as an empress.”
“When I want your advice, Mr. Pussycat, I’ll give you due notice,” she answered with a cold glare.
“That’s the way,” said Taradan approvingly, and winked at her.
Thirrin and Oskan both stepped down from the sleigh and followed the herald to the high platform. The sight of so many huge leopards, all staring intently at them as they approached, made the short walk a very uncomfortable experience. But both managed to hide their fear, and they walked with their heads held high.
There was a flight of graded rocks that served as steps up to the natural dais, and as Thirrin and Oskan climbed these, the nearest leopards drew back and a pathway opened up to where Tharaman-Thar was waiting.
A murmur of small growls and whispers rose up as they walked through the throng of enormous cats, but otherwise they were silent and looked constantly up at the boulder as though waiting for the Thar to set the tone of their greeting. Meanwhile Tharaman-Thar was lying at his ease and washing a paw. He seemed completely unaware of the humans and slightly bored. Eventually Thirrin and Oskan arrived at the foot of his boulder-throne and stood waiting quietly.
Taradan the herald let out an enormous roar that echoed around the cliffs and proclaimed, “All hail the Lord Tharaman, great Thar of the Snow Leopards and Ruler of the Icesheets. His will brings the sun back to the sky and allows winter to reign in its due season. He is lor —”
“Yes, yes. Get on with it, Taradan. I don’t want to be here all day. Who have you brought me?” asked Tharaman-Thar in a deep and refined voice.
Thirrin drew her sword, planted it firmly between her feet, and rested her hands on the hilt. She’d been warned that the Snow Leopard King would respect only bravery and confidence so, drawing a deep steadying breath, she said, “He’s brought you no one at all. But if you allowed him to do his job properly and announce me, you’d find out that he has escorted a fellow monarch into your presence!” Her voice cut sharply into the cold air, and the huge leopards all stared at her in shock.
“My name is Queen Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-Arm Lindenshield, Wildcat of the North, Ruler of the Icemark. My will commands no heavenly bodies, and no season waits for my permission to begin. But even so, I do demand a little respect from my equals and deference from my many inferiors!”
Tharaman-Thar turned his huge head to look at her, and his amber eyes glowed deeply. “So, the legends are true. Human beings do exist and they can speak our language. How amusing.” He turned to wash his paw again. “I was of two minds whether to believe the reports. But now I see they were right in every way. And yes, you are puny, aren’t you?”
Thirrin controlled her anger and directed it into her voice. “For my part, I’d heard nothing of the Snow Leopards until a few days ago; their fame seems to be restricted to a scant area of the frozen wastelands. But I have been warned over the last few hours or so that their ruler is arrogant and has no knowledge of how to behave in a civilized manner when receiving guests!”
A gasp rose up from the surrounding courtiers, Tharaman-Thar stopped washing his paw to glare at her, and Taradan looked intently at the ground. “It was you who sliced the whiskers and beard from my herald, wasn’t it?” said Tharaman-Thar.
“It was. I found his manners needed improving. But now I see the fault was not his.”
The Thar climbed to his feet and let out a huge roar at this, but gritting her teeth against her fear Thirrin ignored him, and turning to Taradan said, “Please accept my apologies, Master Herald. I realize now that the fault was not yours; your society is barely civilized, and no one has the right to expect better behavior from an individual than his homeland can teach him.”
Tharaman-Thar roared again and loomed menacingly from the edge of the boulder-throne. “The lemming shouldn’t squeak in a parliament of cats!”
“I’ve no idea what a lemming is, My Lord Tharaman-Thar, but I bet very few of them are battle-trained, tough as boiled leather, and armed with a sword that could slice open a cat’s throat before it even considered leaping from a rock!” As quick as a striking heron she spun around and thrust her sword into the open mouth of a leopard that had moved up behind her. “Perhaps you don’t value this individual, My Lord Thar. But if you really don’t want me to skewer its brain, I suggest you order it to withdraw.”
The Thar of the Leopards nodded almost imperceptibly at the huge cat, and it stepped carefully away. “Why have you come? What do you want of us?”
Thirrin turned to face the throne again and said angrily, “After a polite greeting, those should have been your first questions!”
“I can only thank you for the valuable lessons in etiquette you are giving us,” the Thar said sarcastically. “But now perhaps you’ll be polite enough to answer me.”
“Certainly. I came to offer you friendship.”
The giant leopard laughed. “A fine way you have of showing it! And why should we need or want your friendship, anyway?”
“Because the day your existence is known to humans, many people will come, but they won’t be offering friendship —
only war!”
“And why would they come to the Hub of the World?”
“To rule it. To enslave your people, to kill you and take your skins.”
“Take our skins?” Tharaman-Thar asked incredulously. “Why would they do that? Haven’t they skins of their own?”
“Oh yes, but humans feel the cold, and your skins are so beautiful they’ll want to make them into clothes so they can look as lordly and as gorgeous as you.”
The huge leopard fell silent, and his amber eyes looked out over the starlit ice fields. “How can I believe such a thing? You hardly seem a threat at all, being so small and insignificant. And not only that, you’re the only humans I’ve ever seen. You’re a legend to the Leopard People. How can I know that there are more than a few of you?”
“Humans inhabit almost every part of the world,” said Thirrin. “I’m told we speak many different languages, we have different-colored skins, and we believe in many different gods. But in one way we are nearly all the same. We fight wars, we want power and wealth, and we want to dominate everything we see around us. We are truly terrible and terrifying if you only knew it. We may seem puny, but our numbers are overwhelming, and our weapons of war make us stronger than the most ferocious warriors of any other species. Be afraid of humans, Tharaman-Thar. Be afraid for your Snow Leopards. Once the eyes of humanity are turned on you, there will be little you can do to save yourselves and your lands. You will be hunted and killed, you will be stripped of your homes, your dignity, even your fur, and you will be left to go into the dark of death to be forgotten by the lands you once ruled.”